Windarcher's Past
by Lomihahamech
Summary: Windarcher, a young elf, relives his troublesome past...
1. Forgetfull Father

Windarcher stared at the lonely, hissing fire. A gentle breeze danced through the flames only to crawl through to the other side, to wrap the shivering elf in her warm embrace.  
  
"Rrrrr," The loner moved his gaze from the fire to his right. His bond-fox, Strifeclimber, was moaning in his sleep. Windarcher watched with bittersweet eyes as the fox's three legs twitched against the ground as if he were running.  
  
'He's not very old,' Windarcher thought to himself, 'but he's probably suffered more than any other his age.'  
  
As Strifeclimber's tongue came rolling out of his narrow muzzle, his elfin friend slipped into a state of painful reminiscence.  
  
  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
  
"Come on, pup!" Shadowsmile cooed as she slipped into an underbrush.  
  
"I'm only a few turns younger, Shadowsmile!" The white haired elf watched as his female play-mate vanished, taking her tall and slender cream form, unruly brown curls, and dazzling purple eyes with her.  
  
With a chuckle, the youngest elf in the tribe leapt up, grabbed hold of an oak branch, and swung himself gracefully into a sea of green.  
  
** Windarcher.. ** The send was sing-songy. ** I see you! ** Windarcher spun quickly, his off-white, ruffled shirt tossed about. He pierced the leaves with fiery-orange eyes. He watched as a shadow's eyes opened to reveal bright and violet shards. The eyes bounced with the shadow's giggles.  
  
"You're too good at this game!" The pretty elf giggled as she stepped out in front of him. Windarcher smiled. Though he had only lived through thirteen turns of the seasons, he was his sire's cub. He traced his eyes over the liquid smooth curves of Shadowsmile's body. Her short olive green skirt and low-cut, mid-drift cream shirt brought out some of her best features. Including her mischievous, grinning purple eyes that helped her earn her name.  
  
"Windarcher! S-shadowsmile!" The duo turned as Firestorm jumped over a log and stumbled towards them while regaining his balance. Firestorm was only a day or so older then Windarcher, and they were close enough to be called soulbrothers. Firestorm's bright auburn hair was not the only trait adding to his name, his unpredictable temper added to his charming personality. Windarcher smiled as Firestorm's sparkling green eyes met his.  
  
"What are you yelling about?" Shadowsmile said smirking. Firestorm looked up at her.  
  
"Singtree's called a-a p-pack me-e-eting!" He huffed.  
  
"A pack meeting!" Shadowsmile shrieked in delight.  
  
"Yeah, all because of Windarcher's sire!" Firestorm reached out and rustled Windarcher's mane. The white haired elf started to reach up and smack his hand away, but he'd dealt with it before. He crossed his arms over his chest, and looked at Firestorm with one eyebrow raised. The other elf stopped, and flashed one of his award-winning smiles. Windarcher's mane was now tossed and stuck out at odd angles.  
  
"Well, let's not keep 'em waiting!" Shadowsmile called as she turned, leapt over the same log Firestorm had, and vanished.  
  
** So what'd my sire do this time? **  
  
** You know Treehopper, always in trouble! ** The two elves turned to sending to save their breath. ** He and Cloudwater were running near the plains, and stepped into a trap... a human trap! **  
  
** On the High One's Palace! Is she okay? **  
  
** Yeah, she's fine. Treehopper took her to Raintail. ** Windarcher nodded slowly. His dam, Raintail, was the tribe's new healer. The boys stopped sending as they neared the holt. The whole tribe was slowly gathering into the clearing around the mother tree.  
  
Singtree stood atop a large rock that supported the mother tree, looking like the proud and noble chief he was. His long, arrow straight chestnut hair slapped at the growling wind behind him as it harassed his chief's tie. Next to him, on his right, was Treehopper. The trouble-maker had his hands squared on his hips, but was drunk on dreamberries, and swaying.  
  
** What happened between Treehopper, Cloudwater and the humans today, was a secret, so I assume the whole tribe knows. ** A few light chuckles floated from the wall of elves. ** I was not planning on telling you, but somehow, it got out.. ** Singtree looked over at Treehopper sternly. Windarcher's careless, drunk sire was too busy flirting with two blonde haired elves to notice the chief. ** I have already made a decision, and will not be persuaded. We are going to lay low, and not start anything, we're going to leave them be. ** The chief was cut off by a swarm of angry sendings. He howled, and clamped his hands over his ears to try and block them out. ** STOP IT! ** He cried, shaking his head violently. The forest itself seemed to obey the agonizing send. His red-headed lifemate, Silentgrass, who was very large with cub, ran up and grasped his lowering hands.  
  
~** She's much too worrisome. **~ Windarcher locksent to Firestorm and Shadowsmile.  
  
~** It's all her fault he's softening up! I bet she convinced him to do this! **~ Shadowsmile's angry locksend pierced the minds of both Windarcher and Firestorm. The trio of cubs were, sort of, listening to Singtree's new rules. It was something about not leaving the holt alone, staying fairy quiet, and about not letting the humans see them, and not going near the humans..  
  
~** We should do something about this... and soon. **~ Windarcher and Firestorm exchanged pained and worried looks as Shadowsmile's send gnawed at their minds.  
  
  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
  
"YARF!" Windarcher looked over at Strifeclimber, happy to have been brought out of his memories. The ashen fox wobbled over, and curled up against the elf's chest as they fell asleep. 


	2. Sunset

~**Strifeclimber, hush!**~ Windarcher locksent to his restless bond fox. The bright eyed elf stalked forward, and leapt into a big bush as his prey turned.  
  
The snowy white rabbit jerked it's head this way and that, attempting to catch it's hunter.  
  
"Ahhhrrrr..." Stifeclimber crouched to his stomach and inched forward slowly.  
  
~**Stifeclimber...**~ Windarcher sighed, and sheathed his dagger. If his impatient pup kept this up, he'd have to use his bow. The rabbit, who'd begun to eat from the clover patch, snapped to attention.  
  
~**Strifeclimber!**~ Windarcher yelped as the fox stood, adn the rabbit took off.  
  
"Aarrf!" Windarcher leapt up from behind the bush as the three-legged one bounded after his dinner.  
  
Windarcher ran a few paces and strung his bow.  
  
~**Strifeclimber, arrow!**~ His bond fox had heard this command before, and dropped to the ground. Windarcher forced his aching, burning muscles to hold as he aimed, and released.  
  
~**Good boy,**~ Windarcher sent weakly as he trotted forward. His only companion jumped to his feet, and followed happily. Windarcher ran his small hand through his hair, and crouched down in the dry, dead leaves to inspect the rabbit.  
  
'Why am I not surprised?' The elf thought to himself with a nod. The poorly nurished rabbit lay on it's left side. It's ribs shook out from under it's fur as it's long ears flopped over each other. Windarcher's arrow protruded from it's upside.  
  
"Hhrrrr," Windarcher patted his fox's head as he lifted the mammal, and passed by.  
  
"Hush," He made his way, slowly, back to their camp. He set the rabbit on a log and fished in his pocket for his fire starting sticks. He began to rub them together, and began to rub furiously as he remembered pulling them from Stifeclimber's side all those years ago. He winced as he cut and callosed his small and pearly hands. THe fire hissed, spat, then roared into life. Windarcher wandered over to sit next to Strifeclimber.  
  
"OOoh, you pup." Windarcher sighed, realizing as he reached for the rabbit, that Strifeclimber had already begun chomping away.  
  
The elf pulled off a thin, seemingly weightless leg. He began to chomp slowly as he looked up at the clearing skies...  
  
  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
  
  
  
"What are you doing out here, Windarcher? The sun is still up!" Windarcher, on his back in the huge field, lifted his chin to look at Firestorm.  
  
"Waiting for sunset."  
  
"And getting a headstart on your stargazing." The red haired elf flopped down next to Windarcher. The white haired elf propped his chin in his hand as he flipped to his side.  
  
"Do, do you think Shadowsmile was serious about rebelling against Singtree?" He whispered.  
  
"That still bothering you?" Firestorm questioned, genuinely concerned. Windarcher nodded slowly.  
  
"I-I just don't want to pick sides, Firestorm."  
  
"Don't worry, Tylen." Firestorm whispered Windarcher's soulname. "I truely think that-"  
  
A high-pitched giggled put them both on alert.  
  
~**I think Shadowsmile's all talk, pup.**~ Firestorm sent as he pounced Windarcher and grinned down at him. ~**Besides, what've you go to worry about? You, Raintail and I'd all pick the same side anyway!**~ Windarcher smiled and nodded.  
  
The duo both made disgusted faces as the high-pitched giggle returned.  
  
Windarcher shoved Firestorm off him playfully, and sat up to try and identify the giggler...  
  
It was Cloudwater,  
  
With Treehopper.  
  
Firestorm sat up as well, watching with a hint of interest.  
  
Treehopper kissed at the elf maid's collarbone, his mouth moved downward until...  
  
"Ow!"  
  
~**Windarcher, did you see-?**~ Firestorm turned, but his soulbrother was nowhere in sight. ~**Tylen?**~  
  
  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
  
"Rrrrr!" Windarcher blinked, and looked down. Strifeclimber had latched his jaws onto the bone of the rabbit leg, and was engaged in a tug-o-war. Windarcher smiled, and decided to give him a challenge. 


	3. Soul Dagger

Windarcher let out a huffed breath, and watched with glazed over eyes as the small cloud flew past him. He felt the worn furs shift, and turned to his right.  
  
Strifeclimber was having another nightmare. He watched, feeling his heart ache as he knew he could do nothing to help his bond.  
  
He pulled his old furs around himself, and shivered silently. The snow danced in the musky-cold air outside the tiny cave, as the young elf fell into more reminescence.  
  
  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
  
~**Windarcher, is that you?**~ The young elf stopped stomping, and turned slowly at the kind voiced send.  
  
~**Snow Pup, what's wrong?**~ Shadowsmile stepped slowly from her shadowy solace towards the younger cub.  
  
~**It's.. it's nothing, Shadowsmile. I'd thought you'd forgotten that name..**~ Windarcher managed a smile.  
  
~**Not so, Snow Pup.**~ She smiled at him, and he knitted his eyebrows together in confusion. This was not the elf maiden's normal smile, in fact, Windarcher had never seen such a smile. Her lips were curled delicately around her pearl white fangs, making the corners of her mouth curve up in a devilshly taunting matter. As he strained to unlock her mysterious smile, she stepped up to him, and very slowly, brought her hands behind his head. ~**If the tribe were to split,**~ She locksent softly, matching her mysterious tone to her smile. Windarcher was flabbergasted. ~**You'd side with me, right..**~ She pushed herself up against him. ~**Snow Pup?**~ Her small body was pressed harshly upon his young frame  
  
~**Sh-shadowsmile I...**~ The smooth pearl hand of Windarcher's seductrice grabbed his collar.  
  
"Follow me.." Windarcher couldn't move his eyes from her intoxicating figure. He soon found himself beside a bubbling, crystal watered lake.  
  
"Shad-"  
  
"Shhh, Snow Pup." Windarcher watched as Shadowsmile walked behind him, resting her hands on his shoulders as she walked back around to stand in front of him. She slipped her hand under his shirt, met his eyes and..  
  
"Tylen?"  
  
"Panth?" Windarcher looked away. Recognition, at his age? He started to turn away, but Shadowsmile held fast. "P-Shadowsmile, I-I can't..."  
  
"Shush, Tylen.." Windarcher bit his lip, tears forming. She knew his soulname, he could do nothing.  
  
"Th-this isn't r-right.." He breathed as he felt her cold hands on his small chest again. 'Recognition? No! No! Not with..... why not?' Windarcher closed his eyes, trying to block her touches,  
  
her silken sighs...  
  
"Panth, no." Windarcher tried to push her away, but she wouldn't budge.  
  
~**Stop it, Tylen! Don't fight it!**~ Windarcher opened his over-flowing eyes in a flash.  
  
~**No! This isn't recognition!**~  
  
~**Yes it is!**~  
  
~**No! I-I don't want to join.. this can't be.. **~  
  
~**Shut up, Tylen!**~ The young elf tore from her. Her hate, her jealousy, her painful sends. He had no desire to join. ~** You can't leave me, Tylen.**~ He stopped walking, there is only truth in sends. ~**I know your soulname... I own you.. **~ Windarcher's breath caught in his throat as Shadowsmile pulled him back to the lake.  
  
"No, Panth, stop!" Windarcher snapped in her ear, she didn't respond. He again closed his eyes as her delicate hands began to stroke at his chest. She began to remove his shirt.  
  
~**Firestorm! Kai! Please, help me...**~ Windarcher sent as he snapped out with his own tiny hands and grabbed Shadowsmile's wrists.  
  
~**Stop it, Tylen!**~  
  
"Ahh," more pain, the harsh way she spat his soulname. This was NOT recognition. ~**No, Panth!**~ He vainly attempted to urge his own hateful send, as she gave up her tires to pull his shirt off over his head. She again did not react to her 'soulname', and began to rip at his shirt.  
  
~**That isn't your soulname, is it? You planted that name!**~ Windarcher felt a breif wave of triumph as he saw a flicker of pain on her face. Though he became all too frightened again as she met his eyes.  
  
~**Tylen!**~ She spat it at him like the name of a dammned one.  
  
If this was not recognition, how did she know his soulname?  
  
Windarcher let out a small moan as she spat the name over and over...  
  
~**Tylen!**~ This send was not harsh, this send was fearful, concerned.  
  
"Firestorm!" The frightened pup yelped. He saw Shadowsmile jerk, and she quickly covered his mouth with her hand.  
  
~**What do you think you're doing, Tylen? Even if he finds us, I. Own. You.**~ Windarcher's throat ached and burned, and his tears began to flow freely, still he pressed his lips together and stared hard at her.  
  
~**No-one owns me..**~ The harsh silence that fell between them was broken by the rustling of a bush some odd feet away.  
  
~**Windarcher?**~ Firestorm! Windarcher was about to reply when he saw a slight flicker in Shadowsmile's eyes. She was locksending to his soulbrother!  
  
~**Kai! Whatever she says, do not listen!**~ He sent frantically. He kept his face emotionless as Shadowsmile turned back to him.  
  
~**Windarcher, I'm confused! Sh-she says you've recognized! She knows your soulname!**~  
  
~**She does, I don't know how she does, but it's not recogniti-**~  
  
~**Tylen!**~ Windarcher let out a small moan as his soul was pierced again.  
  
~**Kai, it hurts.. I'm scared..**~ His send was weak.. almost too quiet.  
  
~**I'm on my way!**~ The rustling increased, and Windarcher stepped away from Shadowsmile with a teary-eyed, hopeful smile.  
  
~**Tylen! How could you!?**~ Windarcher felt the cold maiden's hands on his shoulders. He shrugged her off. ~**TYLEN!**~ He could take it no longer, that name was not her's to speak! She yelled it again, and the young elf fell to his knees.  
  
"No... stop.." He clamped his hands over his ears. Her blackened sends broke through.  
  
~**Tylen!**~  
  
~**Kai!**~ Firestorm leapt out from the forest shadows. He was breathing heavily, but the sight before him gave him angry strength.  
  
~**GO! Don't come any closer.. Kai...**~  
  
~**How... can you..?**~ Firestorm stepped closer. The ivory-skinned one knew his soulname as well!  
  
"Don't beat yourselves up, it was easy." Shadowsmile beamed icily. She took a few steps forward, and began to run her long, smooth, feminine fingers through Windarcher's hair. "Only you," She barked, pointing at the red head. "Would dare speak a soulname aloud."  
  
"N-no.. I.." Firestorm looked down at Windarcher. He shook in pain as he tried desperately to block the torture. Firestorm's throat locked up, he'd done this? He'd betrayed his own soulbrother?  
  
~**.. but my name.. how..**~ His send broke off as he felt the burning warmth of hot, pain tears.  
  
"Just as simple," ~**Kai.**~ "You are as much a part of his soul as he himself is. The first time I spoke his soulname, his soul retaliated with," ~**Tylenkai! TYLENKAI!**~ Firestorm let out a gasp, and stumbled backwards. How could anything hurt so much ? The simple combination of their soulnames dug a much deeper hole then his own, single soulname ever could.  
  
Without warning, the low moan of pain that escaped from both soulbrothers, sparked a burning, loatheful fire that sped them both to their feet against the soul dagger.  
  
"No.. Tylen! Kai! Halt!" Her angry screams did not peirce them. She gritted her teeth together as they strode forward slowly.  
  
Their eyes fixed on one thing,  
  
her.  
  
She felt her heart, beating strongly in her chest, rising to her throat in fear. A cry escaped her lips, and she turned to run. Two separate hands clamped themselves on her shoulders, and shoved her to her knees.  
  
Their stares!  
  
Their blank, unblinking eyes!  
  
Emotionless faces!  
  
She began to scream as she felt her legs give out. She kicked and struggled against them as she felt the cold lake water pierce her scalp through her thick hair. Her straining muscles ached as she fought desperately to keep her head from the crystal water. They burned, twitched, then gave in. Her face plunged into the icy liquid, it stung her eyes, threatened to invade her nose. Her eyes gazed up, fixed on the vacant stares of her captors. Her lungs burned. Her throat ached. She let out her last scream of breath.  
  
Vacant eyes..  
  
by the High Ones..  
  
~**K-Kai?**~  
  
~**Tylen! By the High Ones.. d-did we..?**~ Firestorm and Windarcher blinked, and slowly pulled their hands from the depths.  
  
Wet hands.  
  
They turned to face each other, and collapsed in each other's arms.  
  
  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
  
More tears.  
  
Windarcher reached up and brushed away his ice tears.  
  
Those damned memories.  
  
He crawled over to his now-still bond fox, and curled against his soft, comforting fur. 


	4. Always

"Strifeclimber, I don't know how you can stand it." Windarcher mumbled. His bond looked up at the twisting, rotting branches of the huge tree the elf'd perched himself in. He gave a shrill bark, perfectly content in the freezing rain. Windarcher smiled, and pulled his furs closer against the screaming wind and biting cold.  
  
The fox explored long deserted snake and mouse holes. He ran up on a large dirt mound, and stopped atop it. His wild ears swerved madly before he huffed, and ran back down.  
  
Windarcher would've been happy to watch his bond's frantic antics, but mother memory had other plans...  
  
  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
  
"K-Kai, what are we going to do?" Windarcher's tiny voice tickled the inside of Firestorm's ears.  
  
"I-I don't know, Tylen." They were cradled against each other in the small den Raintail and Windarcher shared. Firestorm's back was pressed against the den's far back wall. The small head of his soulbrother rested against his chest in it's slow rising and falling. He tried to comfort him as best he could, but he feared he would crush him if he hugged him any closer. He breathed in Windarcher's scent as he felt the younger's fingers twitch against his chest.  
  
The silence didn't last for long, soon the two young pairs of ears were asulted with the high shriek of Veli, Shadowsmile's dam.  
  
"They've found her.." Windarcher's voice was more awed then pained with blackened guilt. He slowly felt the stab of realization at what they'd done. He didn't remember much, just standing, then pulling his dripping hands from musky water. They'd killed. They had sent another elf into nothingness. Nothingness. She was nothing now but a hollow shell. Those damned stories about spirits, a great life after death? Meat to be wasted! Windarcher'd seen her face, her pale skin, blue lips, staring, glazed, lifeless eyes.  
  
And he'd done it.  
  
"No."  
  
"No, Tylen?" Windarcher pushed back from Firestorm. He felt his soulbrother's arms fall from around his back.  
  
"We'll leave."  
  
"Cub, you're talking nonsense."  
  
"No, no I'm not."  
  
"You're scared then, Tylen. Once we explain to them wh-"  
  
"No Kai, they won't understand. They won't believe us! We're the first soulbrothers in hundreds of years, they'll never understand!" Firestorm watched as Windarcher dressed. He stopped, and turned to face Firestorm once he'd finished. He crouched down in front of him. "They will never believe us, Kai. How could they? The fact that our souls are closer than those of any who have recognized, it confuses them. If we were to tell them, about how she discovered your soulname, how together our souls are most complete, they would turn from us, Kai! They can't, they won't ever understand." Tears began to well up in Firestorm's eyes. His Tylen, who had only seen three weeks less than Firestorm, spoke as if he'd lived a thousand lives, fought a thousand wars, and died.. a thousand deaths. He spoke truth, no-one could ever understand.  
  
Firestorm stood, and began to pull on his own clothes.  
  
"Where are we going to go, Tylen? We'll end up wandering aimlessly our whole lives."  
  
"We'll be renegades," Windarcher chuckled nervously. "So what if we never settle?"  
  
"We'll be together though, right?"  
  
"Always."  
  
  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
  
"Yarf!" Windarcher looked down at his fox. The creature was a blur of red under the elf's teary eyes. He smiled slightly once his vision cleared. Strifeclimber had caught a nice, plump rabbit.  
  
Spring. 


	5. Visions

~**Strifeclimber! Strifeclimber! It's just the storm! Calm down!**~ Windarcher picked up the frantic fox, and held him up against his chest. The animal slowly, unsteadily stopped struggling and whining.  
  
Tttttrrrrrruuuuuuunnnnnnnddddd!  
  
"Aaaaaaaiii!" Strifeclimber kicked and struggled, but Windarcher held fast.  
  
~**Shhh old friend... sssshhhh.**~ The lonely elf rocked his fox back and forth in the cold, harsh winter air.  
  
  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
  
The wind howled in the cold, red ears of the elfin boys. Three harsh, winter weeks had taken a toll on their young frames, and they could go no further.  
  
The white-haired, shivering Windarcher looked over at Firestorm. A space of about five feet separated the thin, shivering soulbrothers. He could not know what his Kai was thinking, but the distance hurt him so much. Their easy touches had been strange, foriegn even, uncomfortable the past few weeks. Windarcher didn't understand why. Were they too close, for too long? Did their bond have.. limits? Could it die? Tears stung at the younger elf's eyes, he shut them tight against his thoughts.  
  
~**Kai..**~  
  
~**Tylen..**~ That was all it took. The two scurried together, closing the space between them quickly. Windarcher rested his head on Firestorm's shoulder as the light drizzle of rain turned into a heavy sheet. He felt his soulbrother lift his head.  
  
~**The moons are full, Tylen.**~ His send was as gentle as a whisper. Windarcher's eyes were vacant on a puddle in front of them. Lost in thought he could only nod.  
  
The small hole filled with still gathering star tears. The drops looked like an elf.. they looked like Raintail. Windarcher felt a small pang of guilt as the watery image of his dam looked up. They hadn't said goodbye... his dam, and Firestorm's parents had no idea where they were.  
  
Suddenly, the liquid pool reflected color, and a masacre played before Windarcher:  
  
The holt was suddenly invaded, ambushed from all sides. Singtree stood, along with many of the tribe's elders, and prepared to fight. The enemies were huge, rabid, bone-thin jaguars. The beasts had an evil gleam in their eyes as they over-took the elves. Silentgrass, clutching the newborn pup fearfully to her bosom, turned and reached for Windarcher with a shriek of agony as she was crumpled beneath a mass of evil black fur.  
  
"Tylen! Tylen!" Windarcher turned his head. Firestorm's tearing eyes filled with concern, and relief. He slid his hands from Windarcher's shoulders to his back, and pulled the confused pup to him closely, as if he would lose him at any moment.  
  
"Tylen, you were screaming soulbrother!" Firestorm murmered to his yielding soulmate.  
  
"I-"  
  
"Are you all right?" Kai held Windarcher an arm's length away.  
  
"I.. I.." Windarcher chuckled slightly. "I had a vision."  
  
"Of what," Firestorm whispered gently as Windarcher shifted to rest against his rattling chest.  
  
"The ... the tribe."  
  
"The tribe?"  
  
"They were being attacked, by jaguars.. they looked like. It.." Windarcher sat up and loked deep into Firestorm's eyes. "Lock send with me?" They brought their foreheads together, and shut their eyes tight against the outside world.  
  
Windarcher moaned as he felt his soulbrother shake in the pain they both now shared.  
  
"Oh, Tylen!" Firestorm cried as he pulled away. It was Windarcher's turn to hold his soulbrother as his head hit his chest.  
  
~**We have to go to them, Kai.**~ Windarcher coudn't help but let out a stressed chuckle as Firestorm nodded slowly. ~** You... your hair tickles, Firestorm.**~  
  
All they could do was laugh; laugh away their pain, their hunger, their total, and utter fear of what lay before them..  
  
  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
  
"Hiiieeeh, hiiiieeeeh..." Strifeclimber whined as he calmed down, and struggled to free himself from Windarcher's grasp. The elf set him down, and he wobbled out of the cave to relieve himself in the aftermath of the storm.  
  
"Tylenkai.." Windarcher whispered. In a few days it would be the aniversary of one, fateful night.  
  
He began to weep silently. 


	6. Departure

Windarcher closed his eyes, and took a deep breath of the cool, salty breeze. He looked down with deeply pained eyes at the crashing waves, the blue depths,  
  
the jagged rocks.  
  
"One hundred and twenty three turns ago, Kai, I've been counting. One hundred and twenty three turns. No sign of you, soulbrother. I.. I'm not complete anymore, Kai. I'm empty." Windarcher looked over his shoulder, towards the cave. Strifeclimber was still sleeping, he'd never know. He'd seen another fox a day ago, he'd mourn for a while, then he'd join the vixen.  
  
"Kai.." Windarcher whispered as he took a step forward.  
  
  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
  
~**Tylen, Tylen stop.. p-please..**~ Windarcher stopped, and turned against the wind. Firestorm had doubled over in a violent coughing fit.  
  
"Firestorm!" Windarcher shrieked as his soulbrother fell to his knees.  
  
~**Kai! Kai! Kai!**~ Windarcher locksent frantically, desperately as Firestorm shook and moaned in pain.  
  
~**Tylen.. Tylen I'm so scared! Tylen it hurts so much !**~ Windarcher fell before his soulbrother, and wrapped his arms over him, pulling them together in a matter of seconds.  
  
~**It's ok, Kai!**~ Windarcher sent as he choked back tears.  
  
"It hurts!"  
  
~** Why aren't you sending, Firestorm? **~  
  
"My head.. it hurts.. I.. I can't!"  
  
"We're half-way there, hang on for a few more days!"  
  
"I.. c-can't Windarcher!"  
  
"Yes you can! Yes you can! Don't say that!"  
  
"I can't!"  
  
"Shut up!"  
  
"Go, Tylen, just go!"  
  
"What!?" Windarcher held Firestorm out, and stared at him with tearing eyes.  
  
"Go. Go an-"  
  
"No!"  
  
"Bring back Raintail!"  
  
"No!" Windarcher pulled Firestorm to him again.  
  
~** Go, Tylen.**~ Firestorm pushed away from him. ~**I can't walk anymore..**~  
  
~**Then I'll carry you!**~  
  
~**No, Tylen,**~  
  
~**and, it might take twice-**~  
  
~**Tylen...**~  
  
~** twice as long, but.. **~  
  
~**Tylen,**~  
  
"Oh, Kai! Don't! Don't make me! Don't make me leave you, soulbrother, don't!"  
  
"It'll only be until you save the tribe, and bring back Raintail." He forced a weak smile.  
  
"I'll be back before you know it, Kai! Then, then we'll go back to the tribe! And we'll explain to them what happened, and- and they'll believe us!"  
  
"Yes!" Firestorm smiled as Windarcher climbed shakily to his feet.  
  
~**Kai..**~  
  
~**Go Tylen.. I'd tell you how strong you are, tell you to be strong, but you know, and you are Tylen!**~ Windarcher nodded, and turned slowly.  
  
~**Tylenkai... **~ He sent, then ran like his life depended on it,  
  
and,  
  
it did.  
  
  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
  
"Hhhhaaaarrraaah!" Windarcher opened his eyes. "Yarf!" He turned and frowned,  
  
Strifeclimber.  
  
~**Go back to the cave, pup. **~  
  
"Yarf!" Strifeclimber started towards the elf, and the cliff's edge.  
  
~**Strifeclimber!**~  
  
**You people! You people!**  
  
~** You people? My people? Elves!? Strifeclimber, you saw elves?!**~ The fox crouched to a playful position, and yipped excitedly. Windarcher turned on a missplaced step, and lost his footing.  
  
"Aaaaaaaaaaaiiii!" Strifeclimber lunged forward, and clamped his jaws over Windarcher's arm.  
  
"Aaaahhh.." He gasped in pain, and saw his struggling bond lose hope. ~** No, no! Good boy! Keep pulling!**~ The fox let out a muffled yip, and started to tug backwards as his elf regained balance.  
  
"Aaaaaarrr!" Windarcher toppled onto the scuffed up ground, were Strifeclimber had been pulling, and fell to his knees.  
  
"Oh!" He wrapped his arms around the fox, and cried into his fur. "Thank you, Strifeclimber, thank you." 


	7. Death

Windarcher sighed down at his fox.  
  
There were no elves, not anymore anyway. Stifeclimber had found old tracks deep in the heart of the forest. He had tried not to let his dissapointment show, his friend had tried, but a wound had been opened, and would not close for some time.  
  
He now stood atop a shaggy hill that overlooked a lovely little meadow that Strifeclimber had taken to scouting.  
  
He took a deep, calming breath.  
  
He missed his Firestorm more than he ever had before. The stars slowly danced out from behind the shifting clouds.  
  
~** Oh, Kai. Can you see them? **~ He longed for the comfort of the knowledge that his soulbrother was looking at those same stars.  
  
Comfort did not come. Not even with the faraway breeze tickling against his bare skin.  
  
~** Kai.. **~  
  
  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
  
~** Kai... **~ Windarcher tumbled to his knees, broke into sobs, and fell to his stomach in the moist ground.  
  
Famillar ground!  
  
The cub shot up, and looked about. Yes! Yes! The holt was near!  
  
Within sending range....  
  
~** Singtree! Raintail! Silentgrass! Cheif Singtree! Oh, anyone! **~ He ran on through the forest, alert, listening for sounds of life.  
  
Hoping...  
  
"Windarcher! Cub!" He gasped, and stumbled to his knees by the Mother tree. He looked up, his youthful, dirty, hopefilled face was crushed into a stupor by the looks he recieved.  
  
Chief Singtree stood beside Silentgrass. His arms were tightly crossed over his chest, his hair whipping at his face. His eyes fixed on Windarcher mercilessly.  
  
Silentgrass stood to his right, slightly behind him with an oddly uneven stance. In her arms she clutched a tiny, squirming bundle. Her large, usually kind eyes burned at him as they darted to and from his own.  
  
Veli, mighty Veli with her Go-Back spirit. Her head was titlted slightly upwards. She glared down her nose at the helpless one. Her arms, ending in anger tight fists, shook violently at her sides as she fought to restrain herself.  
  
Treehopper stood in the very back. His face maimed by shadows. He'd had no dreamberries that night, and he recalled his own blood running in the whimpering pups' veins. The shame bit at him continously.  
  
Moonwhisper and Silverstar, Firestorm's parents, stood together. The red- haired, bright blue-eyed Moonwhisper stood wrapped in her lifemate's arms. Her slim and muscular figure suddenly looked as fragile and priceless as a shooting star as pained tear after pained tear fell the length of her oval face. Silverstar, the big built, black-haired and green-eyed tanner had burried his face in Moonwhisper's virgin hair.  
  
Cloudwater stood towards the back, between the two groups of lifemates. Her large, youthful yellow eyes were somehow larger as she stared. Her stance was wide, yet balanced as always. Sparked open tiny hands shot out from her arms, stiff at her sides.  
  
Raintail, his own dam, beautiful in the speckled moonlight. Raintail, the silken touching healer, his Raintail, she would not look at him. She crouched off to his left side. Her hands, folded in her lap, did not even twitch as her weary cub struggled to sit from his stomach.  
  
"Windarcher, I.." He slowly lifted his heavy, lustless eyes to his cheif. "I am dissapointed, to say the least."  
  
~** You deserve to be gutted, human-blood.. **~ Windarcher tried desperately to block Veli's send.  
  
"I had pl-"  
  
~** I want nothing more then to stare into your human eyes as I- **~  
  
"-but then when you-"  
  
~**- down the length of your puny body- **~  
  
"- to try and -"  
  
~**-spills from-**~  
  
"- and we-"  
  
~** -to the- **~  
  
"STOP IT!"  
  
"Windarcher!" The tribe gasped at his outburst, for they did not hear the painful sends.  
  
Windarcher fell to his knees, instantly clamping his hands over his ears as Veli's stabs continued.  
  
Raintail looked up with pleading eyes at her chief.  
  
~** Please Singtree! Let me-**~  
  
~** Silence, Raintail. **~ He took a step forward, watching as the cub shook. "Who is locksending?" He turned to the tribe. Silence. He scanned the crowd. "Veli!" He pointed to her. "Stop this at once." She did not.  
  
"Woot, please, stop her.." Raintail begged, mere inches from her crying pup.  
  
Woot, Veli's auburnhaired pleasantly plump cousin, nodded and stepped in front of Veli.  
  
"Veli!" She began to shake her by the shoulders.  
  
"Aaahhh!" Windarcher, able to hold it in no longer, let out an agonizing yowl as Veli broke from him.  
  
Raintail would obey her chief no longer. As her only cub fell to his side, she raced forward and pulled him into her lap. She wrapped one hand around his back to support him, the other she placed carefully atop his head, and began her silent work.  
  
"Raintail! Raintail!" Singtree barked.  
  
"Just as decitful as her cub, my chief.." Veli hissed smoothly as she shrugged Woot off.  
  
"You have no place to talk, Veli. I gave the direct order not to send to him." He turned his head over his shoulder to look at her, and was met with defiantly squinted eyes. He averted his gaze quickly back to the healer and her wayward pup. He started forward.  
  
~**Vevey..**~ He soulname, sent so gently it caused him to turn. Silentgrass looked up at him with her big eyes, then slowly down to their cub. ~** Let her be, lifemate.**~  
  
~**Swy.. **~  
  
~**Vevey..**~ He lifted her chin with a feather soft hand, and nodded slowly.  
  
Treehopper turned, and left. He felt not love, no fatherly instincts towards his cub, and he didn't care to watch when Veli would soon jump Singtree.  
  
He heard slow, faint footsteps behind him, and turned slightly. The sultry frames of Firestorm's parents slowly came into view.  
  
They did not care to stay either. Windarcher would surely not say a word about their pup until tomorrow, and their loyalties would change if need- be.  
  
Treehopper let his lip lift, and curl into a sneer as they passed.  
  
He met Silverstar's green-starred eyes.  
  
~** Don't even try it. **~ He locksent quickly. ~** I may be his sire, but I refuse to be his father. **~ The eyes that so resembled those of a High One it was frightening, finally excepted his hurtful answer. ~** And no, I will not tree with you tonight. **~ Silverstar watched as his former lovemate vanished.  
  
  
  
"You dare challenge me?!" Singtree barked in disbelief as Veli stepped up to him.  
  
"He deserves to die, just as my Shadowsmile did!" Veli pointed to Windarcher. Raintail leaned her bewildered pup against the Mother tree, and opened her mouth to speak.  
  
~** Trey.. **~ She snapped her head quickly towards Singtree. He shook his head, and she sat back down.  
  
"He killed my Shadowsmile, then pupnapped Firestorm and ran away, the coward. He and Shadowsmile were lovemates, he drowned her! Can you just imagine what he did to his own soulbrother?!" Veli took a deep breath, and continued hoarsly. "He should be punished, at the very least. Killed, if you want justice! So, yes, I do challenge you, Singtree!" Veli let out a high war cry, and ran at him. He growled and ran at her with such a force that they both flew backwards as they connected.  
  
Veli huffed out a breath like an angry bull. She clambered to her feet, and reached down to clamp her hand on his shirt, and pulled him towards her.  
  
"Aaaaauuuuuggggghh!" She pulled back with a howl as Singtree kneed her in the side. He reached down and roughly pulled her to her feet.  
  
"Hhhhhhhhhhhrrrrrrrrraaaaaaahhhhh!" He reared back as she landed a hard, right punch in his jaw. He ran forward, wrapped his arms over her waist, and pushed her into a tree. She hissed through her teeth, and kneed him, quickly in the groin. He yowled, and staggered back. Veli stumbled forward, but quickly regained her balance. She kicked him in the stomach as he doubled over. She kicked out the backs of his knees, and kneed him in the chin as he fell. He fell to his back, defeated, but this was not enough for Veli.  
  
~** You were chief! You were supossed to watch your tribe! So where were you?! Where were you when she was being murdered by those savages!**~ Veli continued as she landed blow after blow.  
  
"Pup, cub.. Windarcher." Raintail began to shake him gently. "Wake up, child." His weary eyes fluttered open to Raintail's kind, bittersweet smile.  
  
"Run pup."  
  
"What?"  
  
"You.. you're in danger.."  
  
"I can't go any further mother.. I can't.. I hurt all over... I.. I can't.."  
  
"Now go, run, Windarcher." She shoved him to his feet.  
  
"Wha-"  
  
"Go!" Windarcher's dam pushed him into the thick greenery. He stumbled, then ran. He wasn't aware of it, his legs seemed to move without his help, propelling him towards something unseen, but calling.  
  
Softly at first, but as the pounding of his heart died away from his ears, it grew louder.  
  
"Hhhhhhiiiieeee, hhhiiiiiiiieeeeeeee.." It was still soft, weak, hoarse. It had been straining for days. A whine, a mournful, painfilled whine.  
  
A fox.  
  
Windarcher fell to his knees before the pup. It's fur was a light, ashen red like Autumn leaves. His ears stood straight up on his head, turned towards the elf.  
  
"Oooh," Previous worries forgotten, he bent down to inspect the fox. His front right leg was caught by an evil, man-made contraption. Troll metal teeth divided his youthfull skin. His paw was covered in dark, dry and caking blood. Windarcher reached out for him, and gasped as he was snapped at.  
  
"Why you little," He reached back for his dagger to end it's life, but something deep inside his exhausted self, a voice, screamed:  
  
No!  
  
"Aaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrhhhhhheeee..." The young fox wailed.  
  
"Shush now.." The elf mumbled as he reached for it again. This time he watched as the fox's eyes watched his hands warily.  
  
"Aaaaaaaaaiiiii!" The pup yelped as he lifted his paw from the metal and tumbled into the elf.  
  
~** Calm down, little fox. **~ He said softly as he removed two small sticks from the fox's side. He lifted the fox, and looked him in the eyes. "I bet you're really accident prone, going and getting yourself caught in something like that.." His bottom lip quivered, his throat itched, then ached with supressed sobs. He broke into tears, crying into the pups fur for hours.  
  
  
  
Windarcher slowly, gently pushed the fox cub away a few hours later. After crying all night, and spending two hours in the harsh sun, he needed to rest.  
  
"Go home, little fox. You're probably causing your mother a lot of worry and strife." He stood shakily. "I've got to... warn the tribe! I forgot all about it!" Windarcher had no time to beat himself up for forgetting. He leapt to his feet and started up the small hill that started the path to the holt.  
  
"Hhhhhhrrrrrraaaa, hhhhhiiiiiiiaaaaayy!" Windarcher turned around, hearing two, high-pitched sounds. The young fox was trying as hard as he could to climb up the hill. The elf smiled thoughtfully.  
  
~** Go home, little fox. **~ He turned, this time to run as quick as sky fire back to the holt. As he turned, he felt the same strong voice as before,  
  
No!  
  
He stopped dead in his tracks. He recognized that voice, that souldeep voice. He had heard it years ago. It was the voice of recognition denied.  
  
He turned slowly to the fox.  
  
When he had recognized his soul brother he'd tried to flee, it was the same voice.  
  
The same empty longing.  
  
He ran down the hill and scouped up the little pup.  
  
"Oh you silly little Strifeclimber!" The name poured out of Windarcher's heart. The small pup wiggled against Windarcher's chest as best he could in his state.  
  
"Hhhhhhhhhaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrrrriiiiiiiiimmmmmm?" The little whine sounded like a question. He looked up at Windarcher and repeated his whine until:  
  
** Home? ** It was just like a send! The mumbo-jumbo of garbled sounds made clear words in the elf's mind.  
  
~** Yes, **~ Windarcher sent, very gently, afraid of hurting his new bond. ~** You are home.. **~ He carried the quieting fox along on stiff legs.  
  
It was much to quiet, even for day time.  
  
The holt was just beyond the trees. Windarcher took a deep breath and prepared himself for the worst. If only he'd known. He couldn't have prepared for the destruction he'd see as he pushed back a sheet of green.  
  
The smaller trees were uprooted, tossed about like toothpicks. Worn leathers strown about like vines.  
  
Black fur hung from bries and clattering weapons.  
  
Black fur.  
  
Windarcher was too late!  
  
He set the confused Strifeclimber down, and started forward.  
  
Singtree, cheif Singtree was the first Windarcher came across. He was leaning up against the Mother tree. The young elf looked away quickly. The dead chief was sitting up, his head titled to one side as if he'd been watching romping pups. What skin that was not torn, shredded or missing seemed covered in bruises from his fight with Veli. He was missing almost a complete half of his scalp. The smell of him was so pungently vile that Windarcher cried out.  
  
He tried to back away, but stumbled over another body. He sat slowly, and looked at the corpse under his legs.  
  
Woot, Veli's cousin and follower. Her curly locks fell over her neck, shoulders and face. Her head lay twisted at an unnatural angle from her broken neck. She was on her stomach, palms face down next to her head, like she'd tried to brake her fall. Windarcher yelped as he set eyes on her back. It had been hollowed out around her spine. Only a thin layer of her skin, and the film of her bodily fluids and guts connected her ribs to her pelvis.  
  
Windarcher turned his head quickly, and came face to face with  
  
Moonwhisper.  
  
His soulbrother's dam lay just as lifeless and mangled as the rest. Her once valiant blue eyes now stared vacantly. Their sheen glossy faded under dirt and grime. Her body had been pulled apart, and her entrails sped a winding path to her hips and legs, feet away.  
  
"Nooo!" The young pup stood and ran into a still-standing tree.  
  
He felt something sticky, and luke-warm fall onto the back of his left hand.  
  
He didn't dare look down.  
  
He had to.  
  
Red  
  
Sticky vermillion blood.  
  
"No," He whispered.  
  
'Don't look up, Windarcher.. don't,  
  
look..'  
  
Despite his own, weak warnings, he looked up.  
  
Silentgrass. Kind, forgiving Silentgrass. She lay under a mass of crackling tree branches and hords of black fur. Her newborn pup, yet unnamed after two nights, impaled by a ruthless, wayward spear. Her vivid, life-blood, trickled from below her neck, down her face, into her hair, onto Windarcher's shirt. His eyes though, were fixed upon the very thing he'd dreaded,  
  
Her hand, hanging from her soul-deserted body,  
  
reached for him.  
  
Wanted him.  
  
"No! No!" Windarcher cried, falling backwards. He tripped again, but didn't turn to see who over. He fell to his knees, folded his hands in his lap and turned his head, knowing full well what awaited him.  
  
Raintail.  
  
His dam was on her back, her arms flopped about at such unusual angles that he knew she'd fought to the very end. A large bite had been taken from her midsection. Windarcher couldn't help but imagine her, back arched and screaming as she was fed upon.  
  
"No! Oh, mother!" The cub threw himself over her, not caring what smeared on him. She was his mother. He sat up and took her head in his hands. "Mother!" ~** Raintail, mother! **~ He shook her. "You're a healer, mother! Your blood travels in my veins! Why can't you come back?! Please, come back!" All this, all this in mere hours. The young elf's soul writhed in pain. Pain he had never know.  
  
Emptiness.  
  
Firestorm, gone.  
  
Raintail, gone.  
  
"Hhhhhhhhuuuuuuuuurrrrrrrrrrhhhhhhhhaaaaaaa..." He looked to his left slowly, Strifeclimber. His only friend. The young pup would be totally dependant on him for years.  
  
Then,  
  
then he would join them.  
  
He lifted his head as his bond's ears rose.  
  
Silence.  
  
No sounds.  
  
Not right!  
  
"Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrraaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhuuuuuuuuuuurrrrrrrrrrrrr!" The low rumbling was too strong. Windarcher fell forward, and before long he felt the cold, sharp claws. Just one peirced his skin, but the others pushed so close. The claw scraped, bringing the awful, raw, burning pain to Windarcher's every nerve. He felt the skin brake and pull away as the claws continued down.  
  
"Yyyyyyyyyyyyyyiiiiiiiiiaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh!" The elf turned his head slowly.  
  
No! Why was he still here? In this sesspool of death, crushed hope.  
  
Strifeclimber!  
  
"Strifeclimber!" The young fox, bum leg and all, had locked his jaws onto the evil thing's front paw.  
  
"Hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhrrrrrrrrr!" The creature turned his head, and before Windarcher could string his bow, he'd tore the bum leg from the fox's small frame.  
  
"Aaaaaaaaaiiiiiii!" Windarcher tossed aside his bow and pulled his dagger from it's case at his hip.  
  
"Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeehhhhhhhhhhiiiiii!" The fox hit the ground, and lay still.  
  
"You stupid beast!" The elf plunged forward, desperately waving his dagger. The beast reared up with a horrendous roar. The elf dove forward, aiming for it's jugular. His wrist cracked as it was met with saucer-sized paws, and pushed aside like a sapling.  
  
Windarcher tumbled, feeling leaves, twigs and other small objects scattered about stuck to his sticky blood. He came to a harsh stop as he hit a tree.  
  
He had no time to regroup, for the huge hulk of muscle lunged at him.  
  
He let out a horrid war-cry, and ran forward with his dagger sky high. He met the cat's gleaming eyes with his own as he felt the tip, and bulk of the dagger enter the beast's throat, and coarse black fur brushed against his hand.  
  
The heavy beast fell onto Windarcher.  
  
"Hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaiiiiiiii, hhhhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaiiiiiiiiii!" The fox cub writhed on the cold ground. Windarcher gathered what strength remained in his sore, aching muscles, and shoved the beast to the side.  
  
"Oooooh, Strifeclimber.." The elf reached down, and stroked the soft fur. His bond looked up at him with soulfilled eyes. Windarcher gasped back sobs, and tore a piece of his shirt. He lifted the pup carefully, and covered the stub with soft, black fur as he cut it from the fallen foe.  
  
"Hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhrrrrrrrrrr...."  
  
"Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrraaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyyynnnnnnnnnnn..."  
  
"Ttttttthhhhhhhhhhhhllllllllllliiiiiiiiiissssssss..." The forest suddenly came alive with growling, hissing. The rest of the cats.  
  
"Run... er... hang on Strifeclimber!" Windarcher picked up the fox, and tore into the bushes. He jumped logs, dodged trees, and climbed through thick underbrush, cats behind him the whole time.  
  
"Hhhhhhhhhh.." Windarcher cried out as he lost his footing, slipped and tumbled down a long, damp hill to the darker, damper swamps below.  
  
"S-stri-ifec-climber!" The fox slipped from his grasp, and tumbled as well.  
  
The angry, starving jaguars stood atop the hill, watching them fall. The biggest huffed and turned back to the holt. He was soon followed by the others.  
  
  
  
The thick waters tugged at Windarcher, threatening to swallow him whole. He would have gone willingly, except he heard the long, mournful puppy whine belonging to Strifeclimber. He plunged forward, and carefully picked up his fox from the roots. He couldn't speak, he knew that Strifeclimber needed no words, so her burried his face and cried.  
  
  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
  
  
"Hhhhhhhhhhaaaaaaiiiiiiii." Windarcher looked down as he felt a cold nose on his arm. Strifeclimber looked up at him with a slightly cocked head.  
  
** Sad? ** Windarcher fell to his knees, and wrapped his arms around him. 


End file.
